Management of power amplifiers

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a plurality of power amplifiers, wherein at least some of the plurality of power amplifiers have different maximum output power capabilities; a multiplicity of antenna ports; control means configured to select a set of one or more power amplifiers from the plurality of power amplifiers for simultaneous transmission via respective antenna ports.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising
 a plurality of power amplifiers, wherein at least some of the plurality of power amplifiers have different maximum output power capabilities;   a multiplicity of antenna ports;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory   storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to   select a set of one or more power amplifiers from the plurality of power amplifiers for simultaneous transmission via respective antenna ports.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to control a combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers to be less than or equal to a combined total transmit power target. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select the set of power amplifiers such that the power amplifiers in the set have different maximum output power capabilities. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select the set of power amplifiers such that the power amplifiers in the set have lowest maximum output power capabilities sufficient for a combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers to meet a combined total transmit power target. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to evenly distribute a combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers across the set of one or more power amplifiers, wherein the power amplifiers in the set are controlled to have the same power output simultaneously. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select a set of one or more power amplifiers from the plurality of power amplifiers for simultaneous transmission via respective antenna ports and distribute a combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers across the set of one or more power amplifiers, to achieve a distribution of a maximum total transmit power target across a number of power amplifiers required that reduces or minimizes backoff from maximum output power capabilities of the power amplifiers. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers is determined at the respective antenna ports and includes an estimate of path loss between each power amplifier in the set of one or more power amplifiers and its respective antenna port. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to replace a power amplifier in the set of one or more power amplifiers in response to a requirement to increase the combined total transmit power of the set, only if the output power of the power amplifier, for replacement, has reached its maximum output power capability. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select for addition to the set of one or more power amplifiers an additional power amplifier from the remaining power amplifiers of the plurality of power amplifiers that are not presently in the set, wherein the selected additional power amplifier is the power amplifier of the remaining power amplifiers that has the lowest maximum output power capability amongst the remaining power amplifiers. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select an antenna port for each of the power amplifiers in the set of one or more power amplifiers based on at least one of the following: an estimate of power loss in the transmission channels associated with the antenna ports, or an estimate of power loss in the paths between the power amplifiers in the set of one or more power amplifiers and the respective selectable antenna ports. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to select an antenna port for a power amplifier of a primary carrier that has the best estimate of power loss in a transmission channel associated with the antenna port. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to control a switching arrangement between the plurality of power amplifiers and the multiplicity of antenna ports, wherein the switching arrangement is configured to connect each of the plurality of power amplifiers to at least one antenna port and at least a first one of the plurality of power amplifiers to any one of multiple different ones of the multiplicity of antenna ports, wherein the first one of the plurality of power amplifiers has the greatest maximum output power capability amongst the plurality of power amplifiers. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is configured to switch a power amplifier having a greatest maximum output power capability amongst the plurality of power amplifiers to any one of a first number of the multiplicity antenna ports and a power amplifier that has the lowest maximum output power capability amongst the plurality of power amplifiers to any one of a second number of the multiplicity of antenna ports, wherein the first number is the maximum number of antenna ports to which any of the plurality of power amplifiers is switchable and the second number is a minimum number of antenna ports to which any of the plurality of power amplifiers is switchable. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  comprising a multiplicity of antennas wherein each of the multiplicity of antennas is coupled to one of the multiplicity of antenna ports for at least transmission. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  comprised in a user equipment configured for communication with a cellular telecommunications network, wherein one or more of the plurality of power amplifiers are configurable for simultaneous uplink transmission to the cellular telecommunications network. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein one of the plurality of power amplifiers meets, by itself, a maximum output power requirement controllable via downlink control signaling by the cellular telecommunications network. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is a user equipment. 
     
     
         36 . A method comprising
 selecting a set of one or more power amplifiers from a plurality of power amplifiers for simultaneous transmission via respective antenna ports, wherein at least some of the plurality of power amplifiers have different maximum output power capabilities.   
     
     
         37 . A method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises
 selecting a set of power amplifiers such that the power amplifiers in the set have lowest maximum output power capabilities sufficient for a combined total transmit power of the set of one or more power amplifiers to meet a combined total transmit power target.   
     
     
         38 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: selection of a set of one or more power amplifiers, from a plurality of power amplifiers, for simultaneous transmission via respective antenna ports, wherein at least some of the plurality of power amplifiers have different maximum output power capabilities.